CHAPTER 97
GUILT
December 14, 2010
7:14am
Carthis, Scotland
The New Centre
The group had yet to receive word that their terms had been agreed upon. All Peter could hope was that Susanna Grey out of pity, for her nephew, and son's extended family, would allow for the group to remain together.
From his spot by the fireplace, Peter looked up from his sketch book to glance around the room. Inara and Derek had fallen asleep on the couch, Inara's head resting on Derek's shoulder, Derek's arm wrapped around her waist. Peter had wondered about Derek and Inara's status as a couple and now had his answer.
Derek and Inara weren't the only couple dozing, Ares had his arms wrapped around Kyra who was in his lap. Bane was also asleep, he was perched in the chair next to Alex's bed, his head resting on a pillow at Alex's side. In the dim light Peter could see that Bane was holding tightly to Alex's uninjured hand as they slept.
Peter smiled, happy to know that there was someone else besides himself looking out for his sister. The young boy knew that if anything were to happen to himself, Bane would lay down his life for Alex though he had barely known Alex for four days.
Alex and Bane weren't the only two who had formed a close relationship in such a small time. Friendships, that a week ago seemed highly unlikely had been forged overnight and Peter doubted that even death would be able break them.
Alex had something to do with that, Peter was sure. She had a vibe about her that made the others like her; trust her, and believe that there was a chance that they too could have a life that wasn't controlled by the Centre. Peter's little group had centered it's self around Alex, a fact that made the boy smile, for it was the same way at home.
It was a family joke -but one with a great deal of truth behind it- that Alex was the family favorite. The adults and older children had always doted on her, and the younger children had always vied for her attention, Peter included. He would miss her when he left, Peter realized.
"What are you thinking little one?" Airell whispered sitting down next to Peter.
"You're the telepath why can't you tell me?" Peter retorted smirking up at Airell.
"For a boy who isn't quite eleven years old, you're amazing," Airell stated. "What you've done Peter in such a short time, and all the while trying to sort out your feelings concerning who you are."
"You know at this point and time I'd rather focus on the fact that your father wants me dead than think about what I did as John Parker," Peter snapped.
"And yet John Parker was exactly who you were thinking about," Airell replied.
"Can we-"
"She knows Tiger. Alex knows that you don't plan on coming home," Airell cut the boy off. "And before you ask; no I didn't tell her." Peter sighed.
"I can't go home. Airi, I had people killed; families were ripped apart because of me. I became the one thing that my family hates. I want to go home, I really do, but I can't face my family right now. And...and if Jack dies, I'll never be able to face them. Parker wanted me; Jason and Jack were just innocent bystanders. And now Jack may die, because of me," Peter said softly his voice cracking with emotion.
"It's nice to see that the whole guilt thing is a Russell family trait," Airell smiled sadly at Peter. "You are so much like Jake at your age. He shouldered so much responsibility at such a young age. I watched him every day for years carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. He gave up his childhood, to watch over his brothers and sisters. Jay blamed himself every time one of them was hurt whether it was a paper cut or the time Alex was branded. I tried hard to convince him that he wasn't to blame... it never worked. Maybe I can convince you?"
"You're right...Jake wasn't at fault. But I am Airi. I signed those orders," Peter said tears falling from his eyes. Airell draped an arm around Peter's small fame and pulled him to her side.
"I wish that there was something I could do to make you see that you were being used Peter. That you are not the person that Parker wanted you to be. Sweetheart you need to understand that you were a pawn in game that has been going on long before you were born. And like your brother you are just another innocent bystander, " Airell whispered in Peter's ear.
December 14, 2010
1:45am
Charlottesville, Virginia
Russell Family Home
Jake was exhausted but couldn't sleep, his mind was to full of troublesome thoughts. Thoughts that he didn't wish to burden the rest of his brothers and sisters with. Jake wasn't sure if the others truly realized what this rescue mission would call for. Yes they had developed some sort of idea that there was a very good chance that people would die and at the Files' hands. But Jake's group didn't know -not with out pretending- what the guilt was like of actually pulling that trigger. The Black Files lived daily with the guilt of people who's death they had unknowingly caused due to their childhood sims. But Jake knew that this would be different... Jeff, Jarod and Sam weren't the only one in the family who had been forced to pull the trigger.
It had been the night of his and the other Black Files escape. Their guard that night had been a particular nasty sweeper by the name of Miller. There was no love lost between Jake and Miller, Miller had put the boy in the infirmary more times than Jake cared to remember.
The air vent covers in the Files room had been sealed shut after the escapes of Alex, Aaron, Andros, Will, Mike and Maddie, thus in order for the children to escape that night they had to get past Miller.
So Jake goaded Miller, playing on the sweeper's anger to get him to open the door. It worked, Miller stalked into the children's room grabbed Jake by the his shirt and lugged Jake out of the room. In the scuffle Jake grabbed Miller's gun. Not wanting to kill the sweeper in front of his brothers and sisters, Jake allowed for himself to be carried down the corridor into a sim lab.
Miller threw Jake on to the concert floor. Jake quickly got to his feet and pulled the trigger emptying the clip into Miller. And thanks to the silencer no one found the body of Miller for another five hours, by that time Jake and his group were long gone.
Jake sighed at the memory as he walked down the stairs. Had he regretted taking a life? Most defiantly... if it had been someone other than Miller. Would Jake have done it all over again?
"Without a doubt," Jake spoke to himself as he entered the kitchen.
"Can't sleep?" Jeff asked, in his arms was AJ. The young father was in the middle of giving AJ her late night feeding.
"No," Jake answered honestly.
"Join the club," Sam spoke from the table. Next to the former sweeper was Will and Matty.
"I take it AJ and Matty awoke for a bottle," Jake stated as he looked from AJ to Matty.
"Right you are," Will replied, as he transferred Matty to his shoulder and began to pat the infant's back.
"So Jake why can't you sleep? It's obvious why Will, Sam and I are awake, but you my friend are a mystery," Jeff asked siting down at the table.
Looking back on it Jake knew exactly why the words tumbled out of his mouth, he was in the company of three men who were exactly like him. The four of them had all killed men out of love for their family. They wouldn't condemn him.
"Do the three of you remember Miller?" Jake asked. The random question took Sam, Will, and Jeff by shock.
"Of course. Bastard was one of the main reasons I stayed in the infirmary so much," Will frowned.
"You too?"Jeff asked not surprised in the slightest. "Didn't he die. Pissed off the wrong sweeper or something like that."
"No, the wrong project. And he didn't really piss me off not that day... it was just necessary," Jake said softly looking down at his feet. Sam, Jeff and Will exchanged glances.
"Well you're just full of surprises," Sam said breaking the silence. "Though I must admit I had always wondered. Miller was guarding you all that night and for him to have been killed made it convenient for you to escape."
"I find myself thinking about that night a lot now. I don't regret it, I did what I had to and I'd do it all over again. Just like I'm going to have to do when we go to Carthis. What about you three? Do you regret killing the people you killed? Would you do it again?" Jake asked. Again Sam, Will, and Jeff exchanged looks.
"I wouldn't do it again," Will said looking down at his son. "But the only reason I wouldn't is because, those three men were innocent and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't regret killing them. Yet if those men had been Raines, Cox, and Parker then no, I wouldn't regret it even though Alley didn't really die that day."
"I regret what I did. I killed dozens of people, most were crooked but there were some who were innocent. It doesn't change the fact the I ended peoples lives. And yet, I would do it all over again, because if it hadn't been me it would of been Jaime and she doesn't deserve to live with that guilt," Jeff spoke. The three teens turned to look at Sam. The former sweeper had never spoken of the day he had been forced to kill Devin and many had been curious.
"I didn't want to kill Devin," Sam said after a moment of gathering his thoughts. "But he was going to kill Mor. Back then she was all I had left in the world, I couldn't lose her. I still can't really. If there had been any other way of stooping him from trying to shoot Mor I would have taken it. I hate that I had to kill Devin, he was the son of a good friend of mine, not to mention he was Cassie and Marc's Dad. But yes Jake, I would do it over again. And yes I regret it."
"I wish I could say the same," Jake told Sam. "But Miller had it coming."
"Miller was an evil man who took pleasure in hurting those that couldn't fend for themselves. Devin was just another innocent life ruined by the Centre. There is a difference Jake," Sam said.
"I know," Jake said. "But a part of me wishes that I regretted killing Miller. It frightens me that when we go to Carthis and I'm in the position where I'm going to have to pull the trigger, that I won't fell anything for the lives that I will take."
"The fact that you're having such thoughts Jake means that Miller's death affected you," Jeff said.
"Maybe," Jake shrugged his shoulders, and then more to himself than the other's her said; "But that's not important right now. I need to focus on the mission. The mission is what's important."
"Jake-"
"I'm going to go back to bed now," Jake cut Sam off. "I need my rest." And with that Jake quickly left the kitchen his head no lighter with his thoughts than when he had entered the kitchen.
December 14, 2010
8:21am
Carthis, Scotland
The New Centre
The door to Peter's room opened. Those alert quickly turned to awaken those who were asleep, returning them to the land of conscious.
"You all appear to be a tight knit group," Susanna Grey spoke entering the room. At five and a half feet Susanna carried herself with pride, her head held high giving off the impression that she bowed down to no one. Susanna was in her mid fifties, and didn't have the faintest trace of gray in her hair that was pulled back in a sever bun. There were worry lines under Susanna's eyes and at the corners of her lips which were in a pencil thin line. Peter wondered if the woman had ever smiled.
The triumvirate member was flanked by a team of five sweepers. Not liking the appearance of the sweepers, everyone -save Alex- sprung to their feet.
"How may I help you Mrs. Grey?" Peter addressed the Triumvirate member.
"You and your companions Mr. Parker-,"
"Russell," Peter corrected cutting Susanna off not caring if he offend the woman. "My father's name is Jarod Russell, not Richard Parker."
"Well then Mr. Russell, you and your companions are to be separated," Susanna declared, faces fell instantly as panic seized the group.
"No," Peter argued simply.
"You young man are not in the position to make demands," Susanna reminded Peter.
"Then what about a trade?" Alex asked from her bed.
"Miss Russell you have nothing to barter with," Susanna stated. Alex took a deep breath knowing that there would soon be a large cry of outrage from Peter and the others at her proposal.
"I have myself. Take me to Dr. Cox and Mr. Raines but let the others stay together," Alex bargained. Susanna raised an eyebrow at Alex's offer, while the room all but erupted in chaos.
"No," Bane hissed in Alex's ear as he squeezed her uninjured hand tightly.
"I forbid it," Peter protested. Ares, Achilles and Ajax were also vocal in their protest. While the others whispered back and forth to each other debating Alex's state of mind.
"Enough all of you," Alex yelled loudly causing everyone to quiet. "This is not your choice to make it is mine." Susanna and her sweepers where impressed with Alex's control over the group considering that she -not counting Peter- was the younger than anyone else in the room.
"Katie you aren't at full strength," Peter reminded her.
"I'll be okay Tiger. Trust me," Alex whispered to her brother. Peter sighed, his sister was stubborn and Peter knew that when Alex had made up her mind there was no changing it.
"I want some guarantee that they won't hurt my sister any further than she already is," Peter told Susanna. "As you can see Cox and Raines caused a sufficient amount of damage to my sister."
"I find your conditions acceptable," Susanna replied. "I will inform Raines and Cox that your sister is under Triumvirate protection."
"Wonderful," Peter said snidely. "Also I want Bane with her at all times. Forgive me if I don't trust the word of Cox and Raines."
Susanna nodded her head. Normally she would never bargain with anyone no less a ten year old boy. But Peter reminded Susanna strongly of her own son Allen and that endeared him to her somewhat.
"I'll give you two hours with your sister and then she will be escorted along with her sweeper to her new holdings," Susanna informed Peter.
"Thank you," Peter said. Not bothering to reply Susanna left her sweepers in tow.
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Up Next: Susanna learns the truth of Kyra's origins. And Alex returns to Raines and Cox